Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-08-24

John Swinton's Paper" was the
name Of publication established in
New York, a few years ago, by John
Swinton, reformer. His object VAS
to establish a new party-a party of
"labOring men," The AtcbisOn Cham
piOn, discussing Swinton's failure says:
There is no chance, in this country,
for such party TO win success. With
rare exceptions, all Americans are la
boring men. Ninety-nine out of every
hundred Americans work at something,
With hands or brains, and the BRAIN
workers do just as hard and exhausting
labor as do those who use only muscle.
All these attempts to organize class
parties are destined TO failure, because
there are no permanent classes in this
country, and probably never will be.
The millionaire Of to-day was the labor
er of yesterday, and rice versa. The
son of the poor mechanic becomes the
capitalist OF the next decade, and the
son Of the millionaire becomes a pauper.
All that law can do is to give each hu-
man being fair chance to exercise the
energies, abilities and skill with which
nature has endowed him, and no self
respecting American asks more than
this"
Jay Gould is pointed to as person
who should be regarded with suspicion,
IL not hatred, by American laboring
men. Less than twenty years ago MIR.
Gould was a labOring man himself, and
as poor as church mouse. He had 10
advantages which are not possessed by
every American citizen. What one
man has done in this country, any 9th
er man, equally endowed with energy,
intelligence and skill, can do. MIR.
Gould is really All illustration OF the
possibilities of American citizenship
cOnspicus example Of what any Amer
Ican boy, WORKING earnestly and intelli-
gently To acquire wealth, can do"
This country is full Of such exam
Piles, in all walks of life. There is not
"A boy in this city, white or black, whose
surroundings and advantages are as
squalid and hopeless as were those of
Abraham Lincoln III his boyhOod and
early manhood. There is not a man or
boy in the state of Kansas, not single
one, whose early life was or is sur
rounded by such poverty, ignorance and
hopeless squalOr as was the early life
of this man who became the first and
greatest citizen of the republic. And
the whole history of the nation is
crowded with such examples of posi-
bilities of American citizenship. The
lives of Garfield and Grant, and An
drew Johnson, and Blaine, and Sheri-
dan, and thousands of others, living
and dead, illustrate this great truth,
that neither law. nor custom, nor any
thing else, is bar To the advancement
OF the humblest or poorest boy in all
the land To the highest hOnOrs and the
greatest wealth"
John SwInton's paper failed because
he was fighting, after the manner of
Don QuixOte, a windmill. There is
poverty and wretchedness and woe
enough In this land, we know, and We
bid God speed TO every earnest and
honest man who is endeavOring to
tighten the burdens and make happier
the condition of every one who is poor
or afflicted. But the delusion that a
political party can abolish poverty, or
make everybody contented, or transform
cruel men into kindly men, or abolish
the primal curse, thou shalt earn thy
bread by the sweat of thy brow" or
equaliZe natural energy, intelligence or
thrift, or make spendthriftS economical
or misers generous. or give strength to
the feeble and take from the strong
their powers, or establish millennium
by a swarm of ballots, is a stupid delu-
sion, utterly unworthy Of any sensible
American citizen"